Department for Transport

Ferries: Isles of Scilly

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the package of measures to ensure freight capacity support announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 24 April, consideration was given to building a new Penzance to Scilly Islands ferry to be used to ensure the ongoing supply of critical freight.

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to building a new Penzance to Scilly Islands ferry at the Appledore shipyard.

baroness vere of norbiton: The package of measures announced on Friday 24 April provides support for the continuation of vital services to the Isles of Scilly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The building of a new vessel was not part of those considerations and would be a decision for the operators to take.

Road Works

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 28 April (HL3179), when they intend to publish the updated version four of the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport intends to publish the updated version of the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways on 14 May.

Aviation: Coronavirus

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government plans they have to require social distancing on flights (1) within, (2) arriving in, or (3) leaving, the UK. [T]

baroness vere of norbiton: Department for Transport officials are currently working across government and with aviation sector to discuss potential baseline public health measures.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Syria: Walls and Fences

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they intend to have with the government of Turkey about reports that it (1) has erected fences around Bilbile district and elsewhere in Afrin canton of north Syria, and (2) has attempted to change the demography of that canton.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Ministers and officials regularly discuss the situation in Syria with the Government of Turkey. In those discussions we and our international partners have made clear that any attempt at demographic change in Afrin or other areas under Turkish control would be unacceptable. We have not raised the specific report of fences being erected in Afrin.

Afghanistan: Coronavirus

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19 on the situation in Afghanistan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are deeply concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in Afghanistan. The pandemic and its secondary effects will create significant challenges for Afghanistan as it aims to overcome the legacy of over 40 years of conflict and become a more stable and prosperous state. We remain committed to working closely with the Afghan Government to improve the country's security, development and governance and will continue to provide diplomatic support to help push for a sustainable and inclusive peace process.On the immediate response to COVID-19 in Afghanistan, the UK contributes significantly to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund - providing 75% of its funding - which has allocated $1.5 million to the World Health Organisation to implement their response plan and $27m towards the multi-sector response in country. We will continue to assess the need for further assistance as the situation develops.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Football

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of football matches held in England before 23 March on the spread of COVID-19.

lord bethell: Prior to 23 March the Government, working closely with chief scientific advisers and the Chief Medical Officer took the decision to postpone any banning of sporting events including football matches as there was no evidence to suggest they needed to at the time. As the COVID-19 situation escalated around the world the decision was re-assessed due to the significant risk of spread and all major sporting and mass gathering events were cancelled.

Protective Clothing: Manufacturing Industries

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity in the UK to manufacture personal protection equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: As of 5 May, over 9,000 businesses have contacted the Government with offers of help on supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) which we are now taking forward, with 267 of these relating to the manufacture of PPE for National Health Service and care sectors. These are predominantly United Kingdom-based companies but include a strong representation from multinational companies.The Department triages all offers to assess their potential to proceed, based upon whether the offer is from a high potential manufacturer who have existing domestic manufacturing capability that can rapidly be re-purposed to support the national effort.As of 5 May, the Department has entered into contract and placed orders with seven manufacturers to provide PPE products to the NHS and carers, to all regions of the UK. Their volumes will increase in the coming weeks and in addition other suppliers will come on line to supply products.

Protective Clothing: Coronavirus

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of, on average, how many items of each type of personal protection equipment are required on a daily basis by (1) the National Health Service, (2) the social care sector, (3) the prison service, (4) the police, and (5) other sectors; and how this compares with the shipment of equipment that was ordered from Turkey on 17 April. [T]

lord bethell: Demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) is currently exceptionally high across these sectors, and the Government is working hard to source new supply to meet that need. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have delivered over one billion items of PPE to ensure our frontline is protected. We have also extended our PPE supply route to local resilience forums to help local government distribute stock to social care providers and other vital services where they have been unable to obtain PPE through their usual routes and have an urgent need.We are not reliant on Turkey for gowns and many more orders are lined up and expected from suppliers in the United Kingdom and overseas.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they recommend an isolation period of seven days after symptoms of COVID-19 have ended for those who live alone, as opposed to the recommended fourteen-day period by the World Health Organisation.

lord bethell: In a public statement given by the Prime Minister on 15 March, it was explained that as part of the Government’s main message on self-isolation, if someone has symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, they should not leave their home for seven days from when their symptoms started on the provision that they are no longer showing any signs of the virus.The 14-day period is for those who have had exposure to a confirmed case but have not shown symptoms.The 14 days represents the potential incubation period (the time it takes for symptoms to show if someone has been infected).Most people will no longer be likely to transmit the virus seven days after the onset of symptoms.

Coronavirus: Research

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce ‘step-in’ rights as a condition to granting COVID-19 research funding for the issuing of non-exclusive licenses if a licensing partner fails to comply with the requirements of providing the health technology at an affordable and fair price.

lord bethell: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) contract, used to fund some COVID-19 research, contains a licence back to the Department – known as a ‘step-in right’. This contractual right enables the Department to use, and sub-license to others, all intellectual property created with its funding, and any related intellectual property owned by another party who is contributing to the research project. For COVID-19 research, the Department can exercise the right where the Department is in a position to use or promote the outputs of the funded research in order to achieve ‘Patient Benefit’, including the prevention, treatment or management of any threat to public health.

Coronavirus: Homelessness

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reissued COVID-19 guidance to those working with people who are homeless or drug or alcohol dependent; and, if not, whether they plan to do so.

lord bethell: Public Health England (PHE) published guidance outlining COVID-19 advice for commissioners and service providers involved in assisting people who are dependent on drugs or alcohol or both. The guidance, COVID-19: guidance for commissioners and providers of services for people who use drugs or alcohol, was published on 15 April in an online only format on GOV.UK. PHE is reviewing the need for additional advice for staff working with people who are experiencing homelessness and living in hostels.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) surgical gowns, (2) N95 masks, and (3) surgical masks, are currently being held in central stocks in the UK; how many of each have (a) been distributed from central stocks in the UK in the last seven days, and (b) are expected to arrive in the next seven days; how they will be distributed (i) among the nations of the UK, and (ii) between the NHS and social care providers; and whether they intend to publish regular updates of these figures. [T]

lord bethell: From 25 February to 23 April we have delivered over 950 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) across the health and social care system within England. This includes 140 million masks, 150 million aprons, 1.5 million gowns and 518 million gloves. Tens of millions more items of PPE will have been distributed by the devolved administrations. Additionally, in the week commencing 20 April, we released 29 million items of PPE to designated wholesalers for onward sale to social care providers.We are working closely with the devolved administrations to co-ordinate the distribution of PPE across the United Kingdom.

Protective Clothing: Heathrow Airport

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount of personal protective equipment that has been held at Heathrow Airport customs since 29 March; and what steps they are taking to ensure that any such equipment is released quickly.

lord bethell: It is a priority for agencies operating at the border that genuine critical and essential goods arriving in the United Kingdom are handled promptly to help speed the flow of these goods into the UK. With this aim, Border Force is working closely with the Department and National Health Service suppliers to identify goods in their supply chain and to ensure they move quickly across the border. However, it is also vital that the UK tackles border related fraud and prevents fake and substandard or dangerous goods from entering UK supply chains.

Intensive Care: Hospital Beds

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many critical care beds there were in each NHS region, excluding those in Nightingale hospitals, on (1) 16 March, (2) 23 March, (3) 30 March, (4) 6 April, (5) 13 April , and (6) 20 April.

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the critical care bed occupancy rate was in each NHS region, excluding beds in Nightingale hospitals, in each week from 16 March to 20 April.

lord bethell: Information on critical care beds is not published in the format requested.

Health and Social Services: Protective Clothing

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what dates in 2020 the initial audits were first conducted of the need for protective personal equipment in (1) the NHS, and (2) care services.

lord bethell: The Government stockpiled medicines and consumables including personal protective equipment (PPE) for the National Health Service and social care for a reasonable worst-case influenza pandemic as outlined in the UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy 2011. COVID-19 is a different disease with a higher hospitalisation rate.Forecasts for the need for PPE to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak have been continuously updated in line with modelling based on the prevalence and impact of the virus and the guidance on how PPE should be used. This guidance has itself been updated to reflect emerging scientific evidence about transmission routes and appropriate methods to prevent transmission and the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government why their Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance, published on 2 April, does not include guidance for care homes on (1) the provision of infection prevention and control (IPC) focal points to lead and coordinate IPC activities, (2) the provision of clear information to residents in an understandable format and language, (3) the steps staff should take in relation to physical distancing, and (4) what staff should require of residents.

lord bethell: Since the guidance published on 2 April we have set out a comprehensive action plan, last updated on 16 April, to support the adult social care sector in England throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Our plan sets out the actions the Government is taking to help minimise the spread of infection within all care settings. Local health protection teams have been working hard to support care homes in outbreak management providing help with testing and isolation, and infection control advice. We will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and keep our policies under review as the pandemic goes on.We will continue to update our guidance based on stakeholder feedback, including changes to text to make content easier to read. The Accessible Information Standard is a requirement for organisations that provide National Health Service care or publicly-funded adult social care. It ensures that people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss are provided with information they can easily read or understand, with support, so they can communicate effectively with services.We recognise the importance of care home staff, and the vital role they have to play in the United Kingdom’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 17 April Public Health England published guidance COVID19: How to Work Safely in Care Homes. This includes advice on what measures to take in relation to physical distancing in various scenarios. A copy of this guidance is attached.



COVID-19_How_to_work_safely_in_care_homes
(PDF Document, 292.74 KB)

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the evidence base behind the suggestion, set out in their Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance, published on 2 April, to use disinfectant of 1000ppm chlorine when cleaning car homes; what assessment they have made of whether such disinfectant is sufficient to kill COVID-19 on surfaces; and why that guidance does not include specific guidelines to ensure that laundry is washed in a washing machine with water at 60−90°C with laundry detergent, in accordance with the World Health Organisation guidelines.

lord bethell: The Department, NHS England, Public Health England (PHE) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) co-published Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance on 2 April 2020, followed by the publication of PHE guidance COVID 19: How to work safely in care homes on 17 April 2020. A copy of PHE’s guidance is attached.The guidance on disinfection in Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home of 2 April 2020 is consistent with the World Health Organization’s advice on disinfection.The use of 0.1% sodium hypochlorite, which is the same as 1,000 parts per million chlorine, has been deduced from studies conducted on SARS-CoV and other coronaviruses, including the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s Interim guidance for environmental cleaning in nonhealthcare facilities exposed to SARS-CoV-2.With reference to washing of laundry, the Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance states that care homes are expected to follow the advice in Health Technical Memorandum 01-04: Decontamination of linen for health and social care (2016). The Memorandum states that enhanced processing should be used when there is the possibility of infectious linen or clothing being generated. The enhanced process should be performed in a machine as for the standard process but using a cycle with a minimum temperature of 60ºC, or the highest temperature suitable for heat-sensitive items.This is an unprecedented global pandemic and we have taken the right steps at the right time to combat it, guided at all times by the best scientific advice. We are constantly reviewing our guidance in line with policy changes based at all times on the best scientific advice. 



COVID-19_How_to_work_safely_in_care_homes
(PDF Document, 292.74 KB)

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government why their Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance, published on 2 April, does not (1) acknowledge the risk of anxiety, anger and stress on residents, (2) place a duty on care homes to provide practical and emotional support and to work with residents’ families and health care providers, and (3) consider any spiritual or pastoral support residents may request.

lord bethell: The Department, NHS England, Public Health England and the Care Quality Commission co-published Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance on 2 April 2020. A copy of the guidance is attached.The guidance sets out infection control and cohorting advice to care homes, which providers should follow to ensure that they have the confidence to receive and support residents. With the needs of residents in mind, it asks care homes to facilitate remote visiting from family, friends and others, via phone, video, and using plastic or glass barriers.All our guidance is designed with care users in mind, to ensure that individuals are treated with dignity and respect and that their particular needs are addressed. The Adult Social Care Action Plan published on 15 April includes information on supporting people to maintain their independence and responding to individual needs.Together with the Chief Social Worker, the Department has developed an ethical framework to provide support to ongoing response planning and decision-making to ensure that thorough consideration is given to a core set of ethical values and principles when organising and delivering social care for adults. The framework emphasises that equal concern and respect should be given to all individuals, their families and carers, and communities, as well as the professionals and volunteers that we will be relying on to ensure the delivery of our services and ambitions.We have not changed relevant duties for regulated providers (including care homes), contained in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, including the fundamental standards which include provisions about person-centred care (regulation 9) and dignity and respect (regulation 10).We know that care home residents, particularly those with cognitive and intellectual impairments such as dementia or a learning disability and autistic people, are likely to experience particular difficulties during the pandemic. This could include difficulty understanding and following advice on social distancing, and increased anxiety. Our social care workforce, including new recruits, will need to be trained to respond to these conditions appropriately. We will support providers to embed this in their training in relation to their role, whether they require basic awareness training or more specialist knowledge and skills.Officials and Ministers are speaking to users of adult social care, and groups that represent them, frequently, to ensure that the Government’s adult social care COVID-19 response reflects their needs. The Government has produced a number of pieces of guidance to support people during the COVID-19 pandemic, including people with dementia and their carers. We are constantly reviewing our guidance in line with the views of users and policy changes, based at all times on the best scientific advice.



Admission_and_care_of_residents_during_covid19_inc
(PDF Document, 313.97 KB)

Care Homes: Disease Control

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve infection control in care homes.

lord bethell: The Department, NHS England, Public Health England and Care Quality Commission co-published Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance on 2 April 2020. This guidance sets out infection control and cohorting advice to care homes, which providers should follow to ensure that they have the confidence to receive and support residents. A copy of the guidance is attached.Following publication of the Adult Social Care Action Plan on 15 April 2020, we are reviewing the Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance.This is an unprecedented global pandemic and we are constantly reviewing our guidance in line with scientific advice. We continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure that any changes to guidance are made in conjunction with them. As policy develops, we will continue to update the relevant guidance.



Admission_and_care_of_residents_during_covid19_inc
(PDF Document, 313.97 KB)

Care Homes: Visits

baroness hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the guidance that allows people in hospital who have (1) dementia, (2) a learning disability, or (3) autism, to be allowed to have a visitor during any hospital admission also applies in care homes.

lord bethell: Specific guidance has been produced for visiting care homes. This can be found in the Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance which is attached.



Admission_and_care_of_residents_during_covid19_inc
(PDF Document, 313.97 KB)

Pharmacy: Coronavirus

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the responsibilities of pharmacies are in respect of their duties to employees and the public in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: Pharmacy employers’ responsibilities to their staff are outlined in Public Health England (PHE) COVID-19 employers and business guidance, encouraging measures such as regular hand washing, frequently disinfecting surfaces/objects that are touched, not attending work if symptomatic and working side by side or face away from each other when unable to remain two metres apart. Reasonable adjustments should be made to the pharmacy layout and working pattern to enable two metres distancing between staff and patients. PHE personal protective equipment guidance states that where social distancing cannot be maintained from patients, the sessional use of a fluid-resistant surgical mask is recommended.

Swine Flu: Disease Control

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures that were recommended following the Swine flu pandemic in 2009 relating to future pandemics were subsequently implemented in the UK.

lord bethell: The United Kingdom Government commissioned a publicly available, independent review of the 2009 pandemic response chaired by Dame Deirdre Hine, reflecting on what aspects of the response worked well and what would have had to change in the event of a more severe pandemic. The report of this review made 28 recommendations to the Government on how the response to a future influenza pandemic might be strengthened.These recommendations, along with robust clinical, scientific and operational advice, were considered and reflected in The UK Pandemic Preparedness Strategy 2011. This Strategy sets out how the UK will treat individual cases of influenza and minimise the spread of infection in the event of a future pandemic.

NHS and Social Services: Coronavirus

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking, if any,towards instigating an independent inquiry into the number of deaths of BAME NHS and care staff due to COVID-19.

lord bethell: We are very concerned by the apparent disproportionate number of people from minority ethnic backgrounds who have died, both within the National Health Service and overall. We have asked Public Health England to complete a rapid review to understand how COVID-19 may be having an impact on different ethnic groups, and other groups of concern. The terms of reference will be announced in due course.To complement this rapid review, the National Institute for Health Research and UK Research and Innovation issued a joint call on 22 April for research proposals to investigate emerging evidence of an association between ethnicity and COVID-19 incidence and adverse health outcomes.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) mean, (2) mode, and (3) median, incubation periodfor COVID-19.

lord bethell: The incubation period for COVID-19 ranges from one to 14 days, with a median of five days. Data on the mean and mode are not published.

Intensive Care: Hospital Beds

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many critical care beds are currently in use, and how that compares to the total number available.

lord bethell: The number of critical care beds in use changes over time, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The National Health Service is currently flexing critical care beds numbers to meet demand - including the availability of additional facilities from the independent sector providers and the development and occupancy of Nightingale Hospitals.The NHS will be provided with the resources it needs to keep the public safe at this time.

Coronavirus: Hospitals

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government at what state of readiness Nightingale hospitals will be maintained if and when it is decided they will no longer accept new admissions.

lord bethell: The establishment of the Nightingale hospitals was an unprecedented response to an unprecedented challenge and they provided extra capacity to manage surges in demand due to COVID-19.Now that we are coming through the peak of infection rates, it has been decided that the National Health Service currently has sufficient capacity to deal with anticipated demand.As such, the Nightingale hospital in London has been placed on standby for now but will retain the capacity required to stand it back up should the need arise.Work is underway to consider how the Nightingale’s role may further adapt as the NHS seeks to resume activity that had to be paused in the first phase of our response to the pandemic.

Surgery: Private Sector

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the capability, and (2) the capacity, of the private acute healthcare sector toassist inthe reduction of waiting times for elective surgery.

lord bethell: The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector on a national basis to increase capacity and resource within the National Health Service, adding around 8,000 beds and 20,000 clinical staff.On 29 April 2020, NHS England and NHS Improvement wrote to the NHS setting out the second phase of the NHS response to COVID-19. The NHS has been asked to make full use of all contracted independent sector hospital and diagnostic capacity in restarting routine elective treatment, prioritising long waiters first. A copy of the letter from NHS England and NHS Improvement to the NHS is attached.



Second_phase_response_letter
(PDF Document, 267.96 KB)

NHS: Computer Software

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment was made of the options for developing contact tracing applications.

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procurement process was followed in order to procure and developthe contact tracing application.

lord bethell: We engaged with a number of companies and methodologies.Pivotal quickly proved their suitability, and given the extreme urgency, we made a direct award as permitted under Regulation 32 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.Pivotal were recommended to us as a company who were on an existing framework, and who had experience of working with Government. Over two days, we looked across a network of suppliers who had existing contracts with the Government and had done work with the National Cyber Security Centre or other security agencies, and so could be relied on to provide highly secure and privacy-focused products.

Department for International Development

Iraq: Migrant Camps

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian aid they have provided to the Makhmur refugee camp since 1998.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is one of the largest contributors to the international humanitarian response and has committed £261 million in humanitarian support to Iraq since 2014 through multilateral and NGO partners. This has provided a vital lifeline to millions who are most urgently in need following the conflict with Daesh. The UK does not currently provide direct funding to Makhmur camp. We are in regular contact with the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those most in need and that authorities at all levels seek durable solutions for those displaced by conflict, which are safe, voluntary and sustainable.

Coronavirus: Poverty

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks made by the United Nations’ poverty expert that (1) their response to COVID-19 has been “utterly hypocritical”, and (2) “the pandemic could push more than half a billion people into poverty globally”.

baroness sugg: COVID-19 is the biggest threat this country has faced in a generation – and we are not alone. All over the world we are seeing the devastating impacts of this pandemic – to global health, economies and also more broadly. The UK is a global leader in supporting international efforts in the COVID-19 response, having already pledged £744 million in UK aid. The UK Government is taking decisive and co-ordinated action based on the science and evidence, to mitigate COVID-19’s primary and secondary impacts, both in the UK and in support of the poorest and most vulnerable in developing countries.The UK Government’s domestic package of support in response to COVID-19 is one of the largest in the world. It provides a cash investment of £7 billion into the welfare system alone to support UK citizens through the current crisis – the biggest ever in Universal Credit.The UK is also using its foreign aid budget and British expertise to stop the spread of COVID-19 internationally, build resilience in vulnerable countries, find a vaccine, new drugs and therapeutics as well as support the economic response. We are helping to prevent the poorest countries – which represent a quarter of the world’s population - from collapse by supporting their economies and access to skills and education.By preventing the virus from spreading in the poorest countries, we will save millions of lives and reduce the risk of future waves of infection that could come to the UK.

World Trade Organisation: Coronavirus

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the World Health Organisation about the impact of the suspension of funding by the United States on its ability to lead partners in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness sugg: We are in regular contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) about its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is working with multiple agencies and partners. The impact of the United States pause on funding, subject to review, is something we are closely monitoring. WHO continues to play a key leadership role in the overall response which we support, including on global coordination and planning for country level preparedness and response.

World Trade Organisation: Coronavirus

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase UK funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a consequence of the suspension of funding to the WHO by the United States.

baroness sugg: The UK’s funding for WHO is based on our assessment of the organisation’s needs and we continue to keep this under review. We are a key donor to WHO and have already contributed £75 million to help the organisation lead international efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic.

Palestinians: Coronavirus

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they have provided to the Palestinian authorities in Gaza to assist with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particularin regard to living conditions, COVID-19 testing and the provision of healthcare; and what discussions they have had with the government of Israelabout ensuring that Gaza is able to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has pledged £744 million to support the global humanitarian response to COVID-19. We have delivered additional vital support in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by providing £840,000 to WHO and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity.The UN assesses that although the current number of detected cases remains relatively low, the capacity of the Palestinian health system to cope with an expected increase in COVID-19 cases is poor. The situation is particularly severe in Gaza, where the health system has shortages in specialised staff, drugs and equipment. The UK is engaging with the Israeli Government on the COVID-19 response, including the response in Gaza. I most recently discussed the situation with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK at the end of April.

Department for Education

Children: Protection

baroness benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will monitor and report on the impact of the relaxation of regulations for supporting vulnerable children.

baroness benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how, in the light of the relaxation of regulations for supporting vulnerable children, they are monitoring whether (1) children are meeting or speaking to their social worker, and (2) care reviews are being completed in the right timeframe.

baroness benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how, in the light of the relaxation of regulations for supporting vulnerable children, they are monitoring and reporting on the impact of this decision on particular groups of vulnerable children, including (1) those in the care system, (2) young carers, and (3) those known to be at risk of sexual abuse or living with domestic abuse.

baroness benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the relaxation of regulations for supporting vulnerable children, they plan to consult charitiesworking with vulnerable childrento help assess the impact of these changes.

baroness benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will determine when the relaxation of regulations for supporting vulnerable children should end.

baroness berridge: We have taken a number of steps to ensure the safety of vulnerable children during the COVID-19 outbreak, including ensuring that vulnerable children can continue to attend education and childcare settings that are closed to the majority of children.The vast majority of statutory duties remain unchanged. However, in light of the current pressures COVID-19 is bringing on social care services, and the risk of such pressures increasing, we have reviewed our regulations to allow some temporary and limited flexibility, to enable children's services to continue to support vulnerable children in the most effective and safest way during the outbreak. Our starting point has been to make minimal changes to ensure the safe functioning of children’s social care during COVID-19.Amendments have been made to provide for extra flexibility in some circumstances, but this should only be used when absolutely necessary, with senior management oversight, and must be consistent with the overarching safeguarding and welfare duties that remain in place. The amendments will remain in place only for so long as needed.The duties of local authorities and providers to report their decision-making remains the same. Ofsted inspections continue where there are safeguarding concerns, and new Regional Education and Children’s Teams (REACTs) are working around the country to improve our understanding about the risks facing these children.The REACTs are co-ordinating our work with local authorities, minimising the burden on the sector while we continue to support councils to deliver safe, effective services. Ofsted has redeployed HM Inspectors to provide on-the-ground, practical support to local authorities, and we have refocused the work of intervention commissioners and advisers to target support to local authorities in need.The department continues working with a wide range of stakeholders and the sector to ensure the right support is available for frontline services during this crisis. The regulatory changes will be kept under continuous review and will expire on 25 September 2020 unless extended.

Universities: Coronavirus

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to act to ensure that no UK university will become (1) insolvent, and (2) unable to operate, as a result of restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic; and if not, why not.

baroness berridge: The government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing very significant financial challenges to the higher education (HE) sector and we have been working closely with the sector to monitor the likely impacts.On 4 May 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced a package of measures to ensure sustainability in HE at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.We will stabilise the admissions system and reprofile tuition fee payments, expected to be worth £2.6 billion, for providers so that they receive more cash in the first term of the 2020/21 academic year. This will have no impact on students but will allow providers to better manage financial risks over the autumn. This will be available to all providers across the UK. In reprofiling these payments, we are clear in our expectation that providers should use the cashflow benefits appropriately, taking significant steps to improve efficiencies and manage their finances in order to avoid cashflow problems in the future. Reprofiling in this way is a one-off intervention for the autumn term only, to help providers take all necessary steps now to prepare for the future.In England, we will also be bringing forward £100 million of quality-related research funding for providers to the current academic year to help to address some of the immediate pressures faced by university research activities.We are reminding providers, as part of existing programmes and using established procedures, that the department will consider purchasing land and buildings where they can be used for new or expanding schools and colleges in England. This financial year (across purchases from all suitable vendors, including but not limited to HE providers), we have budgeted up to £100 million to acquire sites for planned projects in England. Details are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-and-students.We expect that access to the business support schemes, reprofiling of public funding and student number controls should be sufficient to help stabilise most providers’ finances and that this should be the first port of call for providers.Should that not be sufficient, such that a HE provider finds themselves at risk of closure, we will only intervene further where we believe there is a case to do so and only where we believe intervention is possible and appropriate and as a last resort.In such instances, we will work with providers to review their circumstances and assess the need for structured transformation solutions and any attached conditions. The department will be working with HM Treasury and other government departments to develop this restructuring regime, as well as with the devolved administrations, to ensure that it aligns with their respective approaches.

Ministry of Justice

Prison Accommodation

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government at which prisons temporary cells are being created; and how many temporary cells are to be provided in each such prison.

lord keen of elie: Further to the statement I made during the debate on 23 April relating to this issue, I can confirm that as of 11 May nearly 450 cells have been delivered to 13 HMPPS sites. The below table shows the number of cells we have agreed to deploy at each site and how many have currently been delivered: SiteNumber of Cells AgreedNumber of Cells Delivered to dateAskham Grange4848Coldingley4848Foston Hall340Guys Marsh240Hatfield3636Highpoint2424Hollesley Bay2424Kirkham860Kirklevington Grange2424Lindholme2424Littlehey2424Moorland4848North Sea Camp4848Prescoed4036Stafford1515Sudbury800The Verne240Wymott4848Grand Total699447 The former Medway Secure Training Centre, has been brought back into operation temporarily as an annex to HMP/YOI Rochester. The location, which is the site of the first secure school, will provide temporary accommodation for 70 category D adult males, with provision managed by HMPPS and staffed by HMPPS officers. The first men were received on 29 April. Our ambition is to secure and install around 2,000 additional cells to help contain the spread of COVID-19 within our prisons. These cells are a temporary measure to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Prisoners will return to their usual accommodation arrangements when safe to do so. Once the units are no longer required they will be removed. We continue to consider other suitable locations based on whether extra accommodation is needed and if there is sufficient space.

Administration of Justice: Coronavirus

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19 on the administration of justice, and inparticular on (1) victim services, (2) litigants in person, and (3) defendants.

lord keen of elie: HM Courts & Tribunals Service is working hard to keep our justice system functioning during this unprecedented public health emergency. Our priorities are to maintain access to justice and to protect the safety of all who work in the courts and tribunals. We are continuously reviewing our approach in light of PHE advice and to understand impacts on our all our users, particularly those who are vulnerable. (1) Victim servicesWe are committed to ensuring victims continue to receive the support they need during this challenging time, and have robust and flexible plans in place to ensure that we can continue to deliver key services across the justice system, including the support of victims.We have been working across government and with justice partner agencies to ensure that there will be comprehensive support for victims and witnesses across England and Wales. (2) Litigants in personThe recently agreed Legal Support for Litigants in Person Grant will invest £3.1m over two years to enhance support for litigants in person. We are working closely with delivery partners in the advice sector to ensure the department’s grant funding to litigants in person support services remains responsive to the needs of those self-representing in the justice system, including the impacts of COVID-19. This new funding is in addition to the approximately £8m invested through the Litigants in Person Support Strategy (LIPSS) since 2014/15. (3) DefendantsWe are working very closely with the judiciary to prioritise caseload and case types, and continually reviewing procedures to support access to justice during the emergency period, particularly for the most time-critical and sensitive cases. In the Crown and magistrates’ courts, bail applications and cases where the defendant is in custody awaiting sentence have been prioritised.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Devolution

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) restore the position of Directors of Public Health as executive board members of local authorities, (2) review local authority staffing levels and budgets, (3) give responsibility for testing and contact tracing to local authorities, and (4) decentralise such operations from Whitehall.

lord greenhalgh: MHCLG continues to work closely with local authorities to ensure they can respond to the Covid-19 crisis.It is not for government to review local authority staffing levels and budgets. As democratically elected organisations local authorities are independent from central government. This means that they are responsible for managing their financial budgets and ensuring that they have a capable workforce in order to deliver a quality service to residents. Councils, rather than central government, are best placed to make independent decisions on staffing so that they can deliver within the resources available and with an understanding of what is best value for local taxpayers.To support local authorities in the fight against coronavirus, government is giving the sector an unprecedented £3.2 billion in additional fundingAs part of our efforts to increase testing, the Department for Health and Social Care has contacted each of the Local Resilience Forums to outline how they can work effectively in responding to local demand. Part of this will include coordinating the deployment of Mobile Testing Units (MTUs), which have been designed to clinical requirements by Army engineers and can be easily set up in under 20 minutes.With regard to contact tracing, we recognise that there needs to be a strong and complementary localised element to the national track and trace model. Developing a truly integrated approach will ensure that the national offer is well linked with local community support for those who may need to self-isolate. That is why my Department is working closely with DHSC and local bodies to understand how we can best do this.

Community Land Trusts: Coronavirus

baroness bakewell of hardington mandeville: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the role played by community land trusts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the future contribution of such trusts to economic recovery; and what support they have provided, and intend to provide, to such trusts.

lord greenhalgh: The Government has not made any systematic assessment of the role played by community land trusts (CLTs) specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic, but recognises that CLTs make a valuable contribution in organising and delivering support of various kinds for members of the community in need. For example, CLTs are able to support small, local construction companies and local supply chains, and help sustain local economies by providing homes that are affordable at local income levels.Since 2016, the Government has supported CLTs (and other forms of community-led housing organisations) through the Community Housing Fund. Through the support provided by Homes England outside London, the Community Housing Fund has succeeded in building up a delivery pipeline of over 10,000 homes that can be delivered relatively quickly once capital funding is made available.The Community Housing Fund closed at the end of March. Ministers are considering all budgets in the round and allocations for 2020/21 will be confirmed at Main Estimates in the next few weeks. Allocations for future years will be considered at the forthcoming Spending Review. Some community-led housing schemes will be able to obtain capital funding from the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme, also delivered by Homes England.

Housing: Construction

lord stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representationthey have received on making further relaxations to permitted development rights to allow additional storeys to be built on existing residential buildings, and what is the timetable for any formal public consultation on such a change.

lord stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representations they have received about relaxing Permitted Development Rights to allow additional storeys to be built on existing residential buildings; and what is the timetable for any formal public consultation on such a change.

lord greenhalgh: We announced in the policy paper ‘Planning for the Future’ published on 12 March that we will introduce new permitted development rights for building upwards on existing buildings by summer 2020, including to extend residential blocks by up to two storeys and to deliver new and bigger homes. Further information is (attached) available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-for-the-futureThe proposals were consulted on as part of the consultation exercise on Planning Reform: supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes.  A summary of the responses received and our response is (attached) available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-reform-supporting-the-high-street-and-increasing-the-delivery-of-new-homes 



Planning for the future
(PDF Document, 203.9 KB)




Planning reform consultation
(PDF Document, 476.62 KB)

Non-domestic Rates: Coronavirus

lord stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the reduction of National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) receipts in 2020/21 as a result of COVID-19, and what discussions have they had with the Local Government Association and councils about its impact on the operation of the Business Rates Retention Scheme and local authority budgets in succeeding years.

lord greenhalgh: The Government is working with local councils to understand the impact that Covid-19 is having on their finances and capacity. We have now made £3.2 billion available to local authorities so they can address any pressures they are facing. This is in addition to measures to ease cashflow pressures, including deferring £2.6 billion of payments to government.

Housing: Sales

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to endany temporary restrictions in placefor the (1) sale, and (2) purchase, of residential property. [T]

lord greenhalgh: The government removed restrictions on the sale and purchase of residential property in England on 13 May. Restrictions remain in place in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many couples making joint claims have been so far included in the Move to Universal Credit pilot scheme; how many of those have been moved to Universal Credit; and whether participants in that pilot scheme have to have been claiming legacy benefits for a specified time.

baroness stedman-scott: No couples have been included so far in the Move to UC pilot. There is no requirement for claimants to have spent a specified time on benefits to be included in the pilot. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the increase in Universal Credit new claims since March 2020, the Move to UC pilot has been temporarily suspended.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dairy Farming: Coronavirus

lord carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what comparative analysis they have undertaken of the number of dairy farmers affected by COVID-19 provided (1) in the letter sent to Peers by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 22 April, and (2) in the briefing by the National Farmers Union provided to MPs on 15 April; whether they found any significant variation between those figures; and if so, what steps they intend to take in response.

lord carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter sent to Peers by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 22 April, when they expect to receive the proposals by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Dairy UK about the alleviation of overproduction in the dairy farming sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the actual number of dairy farmers who require support given the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps they have taken to ensure that appropriate and prompt support is provided to those that need it most.

lord gardiner of kimble: Dairy farmers are crucial in ensuring that food supplies remain resilient in this difficult period. While the vast majority of the UK's dairy farmers are largely unaffected some have been directly impacted by the closure of the food service sector as a result of the lockdown measures taken in response to COVID-19. Between 5 and 10 per cent of total milk production goes to the food service trade. We continue to work closely with the National Farmers Union, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Dairy UK to ensure that those most affected are supported.In recognition of the unprecedented challenges facing this sector on 7 May we announced a new fund to support those dairy farmers who have seen decreased demand due to the loss of the food service sector. Eligible dairy farmers in England who have lost more than 25% of their income over April and May due to coronavirus disruptions will be eligible for funding of up to £10,000 each, to cover 70% of their lost income during this qualifying period. This will enable these producers to continue to operate and sustain production capacity without impacts on animal welfare.The AHDB, together with Dairy UK, have launched a new £1 million campaign to drive an increase in the consumption of milk. Running over 12 weeks, the campaign will highlight the role that milk plays in supporting moments of personal connection during times of crisis. Defra and the devolved administrations are jointly contributing towards the financing of this campaign.The dairy industry can also access various Government backed loan schemes. The COVID-19 Business Interruption Loan Scheme is available to dairy farmers, milk buyers and milk processors. In addition, the new Bounce Back Loan scheme applies to businesses operating in agriculture and will ensure that the smallest businesses can access up to £50,000 loans.We also took a number of early emergency steps to support dairy farmers and those in other sectors. These included designating employees in the food sector as key workers and temporarily relaxing the normal rules on drivers' hours, enabling the sector to keep supply chains running, including deliveries from farm gate to processors.Public intervention for skimmed milk powder and butter also continues to be available. Industry can sell skimmed milk powder and butter into public intervention when the price they would receive on the open market falls below the intervention price. This provides a floor price for dairy products. UK processors are also eligible for the recently opened private storage aid scheme for dairy.Furthermore, the statutory instrument (SI) temporarily relaxing some elements of competition law for the dairy industry was laid before Parliament on 1 May 2020 and applies retrospectively from 1 April 2020. This makes it easier for the dairy industry to collaborate to maximise production, processing and storage efficiency in order to avoid wastage and to ensure that as much product as possible can be processed into high quality dairy products. The AHDB and Dairy UK have offered to work with the dairy industry to support the enactment of the powers under the SI. We and the Devolved Administrations are working closely with them on this.We will continue to engage closely with representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain to support the sector throughout this challenging period.

Milk: Coronavirus

lord carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to encourage those dairy processors and farmers who have not participated in the scheme to reduce milk supply by around five per cent to jointhat initiative to address over-supply.

lord gardiner of kimble: Dairy farmers are crucial in ensuring that food supplies remain resilient in this difficult period. While the vast majority of Britain’s dairy farmers are largely unaffected, some have been impacted by the closure of the food service sector as a result of the lockdown measures taken in response to Covid-19. Between 5 and 10 per cent of total milk production goes to the food service trade. While there is no Government-backed scheme to reduce milk supply, we fully support industry efforts to voluntarily reduce milk production where necessary. In addition to the wider steps the Government has taken to support businesses impacted by COVID-19, a statutory instrument laid before Parliament on 1 May temporarily relaxed some further elements of competition law making it easier for the dairy industry to collaborate to maximise production, processing and storage efficiency in order to avoid wastage and to ensure that as much product as possible can be processed into high quality dairy products. The SI is available at the following link. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/481/contents/made We will continue to engage closely with representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain to support the sector throughout this challenging period.

Home Office

Immigration Controls

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the age limit for new entrants under the points-based immigration system will be.

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the salary threshold for new entrants under the points-based immigration system will be; and what assessment they have made of how that relates to the living wage in (1) London, and (2) the rest of the UK.

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long successful new entrants under the points-based immigration scheme will be able to stay in the UK.

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what requirements, if any, there will be, as part of their new immigration system, for businesses to advertise jobs in the UK before recruiting overseas.

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people who will enter the UK each year as new entrants under the points-based immigration system, broken down by country of origin.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government set out its plans for the UK’s future points-based immigration system in the Policy Statement published on 19 February. The definition of new entrants will be based on the advice provided by the Migration Advisory Committee in its most recent report, which includes retaining the current upper age of 26 but also allowing new entrants to qualify in other ways, for example if they are taking up a postdoctoral position.The salary requirement for new entrants will be set 30% lower than the rate for experienced workers in any occupation, but must still meet the minimum salary threshold of £20,480. New entrants will be able to extend their stay and settle in the UK, just as others in the Skilled Worker route, but their sponsors must increase their pay to the level required for experienced workers.The Policy Statement indicated our intention to remove the resident labour market test. An impact assessment will be published to accompany the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

Surveillance: Coronavirus

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers have been granted to (1) police, and (2) other bodies, for the use of drones and other surveillance technology in order to enforce their responsibilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

baroness williams of trafford: The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020, introduced on 26 March, gave the police the powers they need to ensure compliance with essential measures on social distancing.Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for police forces who are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and Data Protection legislation when operating drones.The Civil Aviation Authority have granted the Emergency Services, including the police, an exemption from some of the requirements in the Air Navigation Order 2016 to support the enforcement of Government COVID-19 restrictions.

Police: Overseas Workers

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many serving police officers are working overseas.

baroness williams of trafford: In line with the policy of successive governments, we do not comment on operational policing matters.

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Coronavirus

baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enable parents of children born since the implementation of the Coronavirus Act 2020 to have their child’s birth registered.

baroness williams of trafford: The General Register Office for England and Wales (GRO) has advised that birth registration appointments should, where possible, be deferred while the current measures to slow the spread of Covid-19 are in place. Where there is an urgent need for a birth to be registered, GRO and Local Authority registrars are considering how this can be achieved on a case-by-case basis within public health guidance and local authority policy.Longer term planning to register all births will be aligned to public health guidance.

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Coronavirus

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have suspended the registration of births during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness williams of trafford: The General Register Office for England and Wales (GRO) has advised that birth registration appointments should, where possible, be deferred while the current measures to slow the spread of Covid-19 are in place. Where there is an urgent need for a birth to be registered, GRO and Local Authority registrars are considering how this can be achieved on a case-by-case basis within public health guidance and local authority policy.

Birth Certificates

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the absence of a birth certificate would prevent a mother travelling abroad with her new-born baby.

baroness williams of trafford: The absence of a birth certificate for a new born does not prevent a passport application being submitted to enable travel, however alternative evidence will need to be provided.

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Coronavirus

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long the suspension of registration of births will continue; and what measures have been put in place to allow babies born during the COVID-19 pandemic to travel on their mother’s passport until such time as a birth certificate and passport can be obtained.

baroness williams of trafford: The General Register Office for England and Wales (GRO) has advised that birth registration appointments should, where possible, be deferred while the current measures to slow the spread of Covid-19 are in place.There are no plans to allow babies to travel on their mother’s passport. The absence of a birth certificate for a newborn does not prevent a passport application being submitted, however alternative evidence will need to be provided.

Aviation: Coronavirus

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many flights of private aircraft (1) landed, and (2) departed, from UK airfields from the start of lockdown on 17 March to 14 April; and what measures they have in place to record the identity and contact details of the passengers and crew of such flights so that they can be traced if any develop COVID-19.

baroness williams of trafford: For the period 17 March to 14 April 2020, 1,812 International and Common Travel Area flights landed at UK Airports. This figure includes planes of all type, whether privately owned, business jets, cargo aircraft and military flights. Border Force does not have data for internal (domestic) or outbound flights. There is no Public Health England requirement to record contact details for arriving or departing passengers for Covid-19 purposes.

Refugees: France

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have committed in funding to reception centres for displaced people at the border in northern France, as pledged in Articles 2(a) and 4 of the 2018 Sandhurst Agreement; whether such funding has increased to assist efforts bythe authorities in Franceto shelter greater numbers of people and allow them to confine indoors and other efforts in relation to handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness williams of trafford: From the €50 million allocation made following the Sandhurst Treaty, £1.1 million was committed in 2018 to support the development of reception centres for migrants in France. These centres provide support to vulnerable migrants, such as those who have been victims of violence and human trafficking.As indicated in previous responses, £3.6 million of the Sandhurst package was specifically allocated to supporting the development of the Dublin and Dubs process to support transfers of eligible children to the UK, including training for those working with unaccompanied children, family tracing and targeted information campaigns.We continue to work closely with France on border and migration issues, including in response to Covid-19, but we have not been asked for funding to support reception centres during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown in France, over 600 migrants have been moved from camps to accommodation centres to aid with social distancing measures. Within these centres, individuals are provided with medical and administrative support, and given the opportunity to lodge an asylum claim.

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are continuing to return people crossing the Channel by boat directly to France during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness williams of trafford: People crossing the Channel to enter the UK have come from a safe country – usually France – and so there is no reason why they need to make this trip in order to claim asylum. Those fleeing persecution should seek protection in the first safe country they enter.The UK continues to work closely with France and other countries to return migrants who have entered the UK by small boat in order to provide a strong deterrent against these dangerous crossings.As a result of COVID-19 the vast majority of EU member states have temporarily paused accepting returns under the Dublin Regulations, but we are tracking those individuals and where appropriate will seek to return them when routes are available.

Refugees: France

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK Border Force is continuing to detain people in short-term holding facilities on the northern French coast during the COVID-19 pandemic; and if so, what health and sanitation measures are being taken in those facilities to ensure that detainees and staff are not put at risk of COVID-19 transmission.

baroness williams of trafford: Short term holding rooms in Northern France are still in operation. High-risk individuals displaying symptoms of COVID-19 are referred to the French authorities in the first instance.All Border Force staff continue to adhere to Public Health England guidance to ensure we follow the latest scientific advice and seek specific guidance for our frontline operations.

Refugees: Children

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many unaccompanied migrant children from refugee camps in Greece they have committed to allow into the UK since 1 January; when such children will be received in the UK; how many of those children they decided to allow into the UK as a direct result of COVID-19.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not hold detailed information on the location of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children within European Member States.The Home Office publishes data on the Dublin III Regulation on an annual basis (each February) in the Immigration Statistics This includes data on the number of requests to transfer into and out of the UK and the number acceptances and transfers into and out of, broken down by article. The latest data, covering up to 2019, can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#dublin-regulationInstructions on how to use the data can be found in the ‘Notes’ sheet.Despite Covid-19 restrictions, the UK remains fully committed to meeting our obligations under the Dublin III Regulation. Arrangements to complete a transfer have always been and still are the responsibility of the sending State who have 6 months to enact transfer after acceptance. We continue to liaise with our counterparts in Member States so that we can effect transfers as soon as it is safe and practical to do so.The Government remains committed to relocating the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children from Europe to the UK under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (‘the Dubs amendment’). Over 220 children were transferred to the UK under section 67 when the Calais camp was cleared in late 2016. Since then we have continued to make further progress with participating States including Greece, to move closer to achieving this commitment.

Greece: Coronavirus

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the difficulties of social distancing in refugee camps in Greece, what (1) financial, (2) medical, and (3) infrastructure, support they have provided in such camps.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK has a strong bilateral relationship with Greece and continues to offer support and exchange expertise on effective migration management to alleviate the pressures on the islands. In previous years, this has included expert deployments to advise on camp security and functioning, and translators to assist with the processing of arriving migrants. Current UK humanitarian support includes a UK Border Force cutter to conduct search and rescue in the Aegean, as well as over £500,000 of humanitarian supplies.The UK Government is concerned about the risk of coronavirus in relation to the migrant camps on the islands. The Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum has enacted emergency measures to contain potential coronavirus outbreaks in the migrant camps, including the provision of additional medical facilities and staff through the EU’s Emergency Support Instrument – these measures have so far been effective and there are currently no reported cases of COVID-19 in the camps on the Greek islands. Our Embassy in Athens continues to closely follow developments.In total, the EU has provided 700 million euros, half of it immediately on 3 March 2020, to help Greece manage the current migrant situation and COVID-19. The UK Government currently has no plans to provide funds to Greece for development of infrastructure.

Coronavirus: Screening

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance the Home Office has given to immigration control officials at airports, regarding the need to identify any persons entering the United Kingdom from overseas, as to whether they are infected by coronavirus.

baroness williams of trafford: Schedule 21 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 confers a power on immigration officers to direct or remove a person who they reasonably suspect may be infectious with coronavirus to a suitable place for screening and assessment by a public health officer. These powers may be exercised following prior consultation with a public health officer, where practicable, and with regard to the relevant guidance.We are currently working with the relevant public health authorities to develop guidance for the use of these powers.

Email and Telephone Services: Fraud

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what their policy is on the reporting by the public of fraudulent and phishing emails and telephone calls; to what email addresses or on what web pages such reports should be made; and what action the public may expect to be taken when such reports are made.

baroness williams of trafford: The public should make all reports of fraudulent phishing emails and telephone calls to Action Fraud which is the national reporting facility for fraud and cyber crime.Action Fraud takes reports via its call centre and website. The contact centre’s operating hours are from 08:00 to 20:00 (Monday to Friday) but reports can be made at any time using their online reporting tool. There is also a dedicated 24/7 call service for live cyber incidents. The web pages can be found at: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/Crime reports received by Action Fraud are considered by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), both of which are operated by the City of London Police, the UK's national lead force for Fraud. Where enough evidence is available and viable leads are identified, actionable intelligence packages are created and sent to the appropriate local police force for them to consider whether they will adopt the report and commence enforcement activity. It remains the responsibility of local police to consider whether to progress any enforcement activity even where viable lines of enquiry have been identified by NFIB. Individuals can check the status of their reports through the website to see whether it’s been disseminated to a local force for investigation, and if an outcome has been recorded.NFIB can also take down fraudulent websites, telephone numbers and close bank accounts linked to fraud.Reports not deemed viable for investigation remain under constant consideration for links to newly reported crimes. The intelligence is also used to identify opportunities to disrupt offenders and to protect victims and prevent further frauds through warnings given out by Action Fraud through various channels and in collaboration with other counter fraud bodies and organisations.

Migrant Workers: Health Professions

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what immigration charges, if any, are payable by medical staff who are non-UK citizens to enable them to practise in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: Medical staff from outside of the European Economic Area need to apply for a visa to work in the UK. Cost will vary depending on the type and length of visa. A list of current visa fees can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-tableIndividuals coming to work, study or join family in the UK for a period of longer than six months, may also be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Immigrants: Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimates they have, if any, ofhow many people coming into the UK in (1) February, (2) March, and (3) April, had COVID-19.

baroness williams of trafford: On 23 March, SAGE advised that the effect of closing borders would have a negligible effect on spread of COVID-19, based on the fact that numbers of cases arriving from other countries were estimated to be insignificant in comparison with domestic cases, comprising approximately 0.5% of total domestic cases.The Home Office and SAGE have been keeping these figures under review. The numbers of passengers arriving in the UK are extremely small, and as such, there is uncertainty in any estimate at such a low level; however, we are confident that the percentage remains under 0.5% of total domestic cases.

Domestic Abuse: Coronavirus

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government, followingthe deaths of two children in the Borough of Redbridge on 26 April and reports on thelevel of domestic abuse nationally, what support and resourcesthey are allocatingfor women’s organisations and organisations supporting BAME women with advice, counselling and emergency accommodation as part of the COVID-19 emergency funds.

baroness williams of trafford: Domestic abuse is unacceptable in any situation, no matter what the stresses. We are working closely with the sector, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and the police to understand the impact of COVID-19 on domestic abuse incidents and on victims, including BAME women, and have published guidance and advice online.The awareness campaign, #YouAreNotAlone, launched by the Home Secretary, signposts victims to further support, including specific resources for BAME women.The Home Office is also allocating an additional £2 million in funding announced by the Home Secretary to support technological capability such as specialist helplines and websites. This is in addition to £750m funding for charities announced by the Treasury.

Right of Abode: Hong Kong

lord craig of radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer fromBaroness Williams of Trafford on 16 March (HL2050), whether they have received the requests of 64 Hong Kong Military Service Corps veterans for right of abode in the UK enclosed with my letter to the Home Secretary, dated 19 March 2020; whether they will respond individually to veterans; and if so, when.

baroness williams of trafford: The letter concerning the request of 64 Hong Kong Military Service Corpsveterans for right of abode in the UK has been received and is being considered. The Minister for Future Borders and Immigration will respond in due course.

Detention Centres: Coronavirus

the lord bishop of london: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 January, the statement that “for detention to be lawful, there must be a realistic prospect of the individual’s removal from the UK within a reasonable timescale”, and the travel restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what steps they are taking to find alternative ways in which those placed in detention centres are managed.

baroness williams of trafford: The health and safety of those in immigration removal centres is of the utmost importance but we remain committed to removing foreign national offenders or those who violate our immigration rules.Detention plays a key role in securing our borders and maintaining effective immigration control. Decisions to detain are made on a case-by-case basis and kept under constant review. As circumstances of the case change, detention is reviewed in light of these changes and release may then become appropriate. However, it is only right that we protect the public from high-harm individuals, which is why the vast majority of those in detention are foreign national offenders.The Home Office is following all Public Health England guidance and have robust contingency plans in place including measures such as protective isolation to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading in the immigration detention estate. Further measures including shielding, single occupancy rooms and the cessation of social visits have been introduced in line with the Government direction on social distancing.

Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry

lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to date of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse; and whentheyestimate that Inquiry will conclude.

baroness williams of trafford: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse publishes financial statements on a quarterly basis on its website https://www.iicsa.org.uk/. The most recent financial statement, covering the Inquiry’s 2019/20 spend as at 31 March 2020, can be found here: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/18739/view/inquiry-financial-report-q4-2019-20-ending-31-march-2020.pdf.The Inquiry expects its public hearings to conclude by the end of 2020. The Inquiry will then turn to writing its final report. Providing the complete information requested would exceed the word limit for responses to written parliamentary questions. However, the information requested is available through the links provided.

Human Trafficking: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify and protect victims of human trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness williams of trafford: Modern slavery is a harmful and hidden crime and its victims may be especially isolated and hidden from view during the coronavirus outbreak. We recognise that there are greater vulnerabilities for potential victims during COVID-19, as social distancing means there is a risk that they are not identified by First Responders and may find it harder to access support. That is why the Government has taken clear steps to address these risks and ensure that we continue to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society.To ensure victims continue to feel supported and safe, we announced on 6 April 2020, that all individuals in accommodation provided by the government-funded specialist Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract, will not be required to move on from their accommodation for the next three months.We have also secured £1.73 million of the funding for charities, announced by the Chancellor last month, to provide emergency support to victims of modern slavery who have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. This funding will assist individuals supported through the Victim Care Contract and will ensure victims are able to stay in government-funded safe accommodation, access financial assistance, access support services remotely, and make sure we manage additional demand on services during this period.We have also produced guidance for both First Responders and frontline staff with advice on what to do if they encounter a potential victim of modern slavery while ensuring the safety of victims, First Responders and support staff and adhering to Public Health England guidance on social distancing and PPE where possible.

Cabinet Office

House of Lords: Membership

lord lamont of lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the reply by Lord True on 4 May (HL Deb, col 373), what plans they have toname those responsible for speaking to the Sunday Times about plans to reform the House, as set out in the report in the Sunday TimesLords too old to sit - 'so they should stand down', published on 4 May. [T]

lord true: As both the Leader and I said in this House last week, this is not Government policy.The Conservative manifesto committed to looking at the role of the Lords, but any reform needs careful consideration, not to be brought forward piecemeal.

Treasury

Legal Profession: Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, if any, to support (1) female, (2) BAME, and (3) new practising, lawyers who have been affected by a loss of earnings as a result of COVID-19 prior to the furlough payments being released.

lord agnew of oulton: HM Treasury pays careful regard to the equality impacts of policy decisions relating to the Covid-19 outbreak, in line with legal requirements and the Government’s commitment to promoting equality. There are internal procedural requirements and support in place for ensuring that such considerations inform decisions taken by ministers. HMRC developed and delivered the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme at record speed to ensure employers received payments by the end of April. Affected employers may also be able to benefit from other schemes and measures such as the VAT deferral, Local Authority grants, and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) which provides Government guarantees for bank loans to firms with turnover up to £45m. Measures to assist easing the financial burden on legal aid providers have already been implemented to alleviate short term cashflow issues, including by ensuring prompt payment by the Legal Aid Agency. Where appropriate, the Government has ensured that fee schemes are suitable for the change to virtual hearings, and the Government has agreed to relax the rules on the payment of Hardship claims in the Crown Court. In addition, the Government has issued guidance to providers to ensure they are able to claim for their existing work in progress.

Economic Situation: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to revive the economy following the lifting of restrictions put in place to address COVID-19.

lord agnew of oulton: The Treasury’s priority is to support the economy through the immediate crisis. We have taken unprecedented steps to keep as many people as possible in their existing jobs, support viable businesses to stay afloat and protect the incomes of the most vulnerable. These measures aim to protect the productive capacity of our economy and to enable a strong and sustainable recovery from this crisis.On 10 May, the Prime Minister set out the government’s conditional plan for reopening certain economic activities, whilst continuing to suppress the outbreak. Our economic strategy will therefore be closely coordinated with the public health strategy to ensure a safe return of economic activity.

Economic Situation: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they (1) have had, and (2) intend to have, with the devolved administrations about their plans for the revival of the UK economy following the lifting of restrictions put in place to address COVID-19.

lord agnew of oulton: The Treasury’s priority is to support the whole UK economy through the immediate crisis. The devolved administrations are working closely with the UK government on a UK-wide response and there is regular engagement on economic issues, including plans on economic recovery. The Government has taken unprecedented steps to keep as many people as possible in their existing jobs, support viable businesses to stay afloat and protect the incomes of the most vulnerable. These measures aim to protect the productive capacity of the whole UK economy and to enable a strong and sustainable recovery from this crisis.

Trade: Northern Ireland

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidancerelating to customs they intend to provide to Northern Ireland businesses that will be trading within the UK internal market after January 2021.

lord agnew of oulton: Northern Ireland remains part of the UK’s customs territory. The Government is working hard to ensure that businesses have the necessary guidance in place to be ready for future arrangements. The Government recognises the importance of having guidance that meets businesses’ needs, including providing full guidance for Northern Ireland businesses on new arrangements related to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Arts: Coronavirus

lord crathorne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to help (1) artists, and (2) self-employed people working in the creative industries, to recoup costs incurred in the production of projects now cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: We know that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including the arts and creative industries. That is why the Government has announced unprecedented support for businesses and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme; £330 billion worth of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses and a Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. Most recently, we have introduced the Coronavirus bounce back loan, to help small and medium-sized businesses, many of which are situated in the creative industries sector, to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000. The government will guarantee 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months in order to help businesses in their recovery. We continue to work closely with our partners across the creative industries and arts to understand the impact of Covid-19 on their activities and provide the necessary support.DCMS has also worked closely with Arts Council England to provide a tailored package of financial support to those within the Arts sector. In March, Arts Council England announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and support the resilience of this vital sector. This funding package will support organisations and individuals who need the most support to see them through this crisis. More details can be found on the Arts Council’s website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19).Those artists who own a Theatrical Production Company may be eligible to recoup costs via the Theatre Tax Relief, more details can be found through HMRC guidance (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/theatre-tax-relief).